- A 305-subject Phase 3 clinical trial, KEYNOTE-024, assessing Merck's (NYSE:MRK) PD-1 inhibitor, Breakthrough Therapy-tagged KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who tumors express high levels of PD-L1 met its primary endpoint. The study showed KEYTRUDA was superior to chemo as measured by progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
- Based on the positive results, the independent Data Monitoring Committee has recommended that the trial be stopped and the patients receiving chemo be offered the opportunity to switch to KEYTRUDA.
- The company intends to present the complete results at a future medical conference.
- Merck is currently advancing five late-stage studies evaluating KEYTRUDA in NSCLC as monotherapy and in combination.